Vase with dish-shaped mouth, Southern China, Sui dynasty (581-618). High fired ceramic with grooved decoration, hand-sculpted details and grayish glaze. H. 14 3/4 in x W. 9 in, H. 37.5 cm x W. 22.8 cm. The Avery Brundage Collection, Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, B60P160 © 2017 Asian Art Museum Chong-Moon Lee Center for Asian Art and Culture.

Developed over several centuries, vessels with dish-shaped mouths and multiple handles were universally produced during the Six Dynasties. The protruding banded neck, however, did not appear on such vases until the fifth century. The configuration seen in this vase was achieved only during the Sui, mostly concentrated in the area of Anhui (KG1977.5: 359; WW 1984.9: 96) and Shandong (KG 1985.1: 37). The piece exemplifies a stunningly magnificent version of a short-lived celadon, its kiln of manufacture not yet ascertained.